> When You Figure Out This Isn't Home. > by CometandAqua > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Through the Cloud > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through the Cloud The sky was an aqua blue, the breeze blew gently against the ponies' skins, the sun shined brightly upon all of Eqestria. Two ponies were headed up to Cloudsdale, an average visit to a friends home. As the two ponies lifted up into the clouds-- one a violet unicorn who's mane was purple and fuscia, the other a light blue pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane-- they began to plan the day ahead. "I think we should watch some races, preferably the Wonderbolts, then I can take you to see the new area in the factory. I know! I can show you the Cloudsdale museum!" Rainbow Dash said as she pushed Twilight Sparkle in the lilac and magenta hot-air balloon. "I hope you have that spell ready." "Of course I have the spell ready, Rainbow," Twilight replied. She walked to the other side of the balloon where Rainbow was pushing. "If I'm going to stay with you in Cloudsdale, I'll need to be able to walk on clouds." The two ponies sat in silence as they climbed the sky towards Cloudsdale. Coming towards Rainbow's house, a dark cloud covered the sky above Equestria. Emanating from nowhere, the cloud was dark as Luna's mane and as foreboding as the deepest part of the Everfree Forest. The sky was black as night as far as the eye could see. Not a single drop of water fell, and the air was void of any source of smoke that could have caused it. "Hmm, some cloud. I'll get this Twilight," Rainbow Dash said. She let the balloon float in the air then pushed with all of her might on the dark cloud. Failing at this, she kicked and bucked the vapor until she was sweating, but to no avail. "Think I could get some help?" she asked the unicorn. "I'll try, I know a spell that should work" Twilight replied. She allowed her horn to glow brightly, emitting a beam of light at the cloud above, lighting the area around the large point of impact-- nothing happened. "Huh? That should have evaporated the cloud." she said, puzzled. She shot another few beams at the cloud, but nothing more happening other than light and the cloud darkening more. "Let me try something," Rainbow said as she flew towards the cloud. She poked at the spot she kicked earlier and noticed that a few pieces fell away. "I think I can dig our way through it." she said and dug harder into the dark vapor. A small opening appeared, revealing a small shaft of the fading light. The opening grew larger still as Rainbow continued working. After excavating a fairly large hole, the cloud refused to give way anymore. "I think that's all I can get. The balloon won't fit, why don't you use that wing spell?" "If you say so," the unicorn replied. Her horn grew brighter and brighter, enveloping herself in a literal cocoon of light. Once the light faded, Twilight emerged with a pair of stunning gossamer and dew wings. She cautiously flapped her wings and took off towards Rainbow, the violet wings glinting in the last small ray of light from the fleeting sunset. "Let's get through it before the spell loses its effects." She said quickly to the pegasus. The two ponies slipped through the small gap in the cloud above them, the cloud closing in behind them. After a few minutes of flying through the thick, dark object, they saw the fading light and escaped the cloud. Appearing above, they saw that they were right below Rainbow's home. Twilight glanced beneath them and found that the cloud and the balloon were gone. She quickly flew up towards Rainbow Dash. "Hey Rainbow," Twilight whispered to the sky blue pegasus. She looked harder towards the ground below them as she spoke. "Did you notice that both the cloud and balloon disappeared?" "Really?" Rainbow asked, looking down towards the ground. She turned her head towards the horizon and saw a figure that vaguely looked like Princess Luna raising the moon far away in the distance towards Canterlot. The stars appeared in the darkening sky one by one until only a few rays of the sun remained. "We'd better get inside Twilight, Luna's raising the moon. If we're out much longer, we'll be unable to even see the doorway." The two ponies flew up to the door and Rainbow tried to open it. "Whoops, forgot that I locked it. Wait a sec," Rainbow Dash pulled a key from under the doormat and unlocked the door then pushed it open with ease. As the door creaked open, they heard a rustling from farther inside the house-- as if some other pony was inside. The two walked quietly inside, so they didn't disturb whoever or whatever laid inside. "Hello?" Twilight asked out into the depths of the building to whatever was inside. Twilight searched down the hallway as Rainbow looked around the other side of the house. Rainbow Dash glanced towards the direction of her bedroom and walked cautiously towards it. She was almost to the door when hoofsteps came towards her. Twilight trotted up as she was cut off. "What did y-" "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?! And at that note, how did you even get into my house?!" a male voice stated. He came farther out the room as Rainbow began to speak. "Your house?! Why I outta-" Rainbow Dash began. She took a close look and instantly stopped. The two mares stared in shock at the stallion the voice came from-- a perfect stallion replica of Rainbow Dash.